Green
by wild wolf free17
Summary: She didn’t see much of the bully at school, but from everything Charlie didn’t say, she knew it still needled at him. [oneshot]


**_Not my characters. Just for fun. _**

**_Warnings: spoilers for movie—the sequel is ignored. Implied slash; het _**

**_I gave Jared Padalecki's character the name 'Ben' because 'Jared' and 'Sam' would have been—well, weird for me. Even if it was hard to resist temptation. Plus, I like the name. _**

**_I don't know Lorraine's age, so I'm making her two years younger than Charlie._**

-

The first time she saw him, he mocked her, so she struck back. It wasn't the best quip ever, and actually made him laugh—which she hadn't intended, of course. She wanted to hurt him, like she could tell he'd hurt her brother. Charlie had always been more of follower, so when he didn't fit it made him wonder what was wrong with him.

Lorraine also felt the need to have a niche somewhere, but she didn't crave it the way he did. She could walk alone, if need be, and here—she could tell the need would be great.

She didn't see much of the bully at school, but from everything Charlie didn't say, she knew it still needled at him.

-

Charlie, to Lorraine's knowledge, didn't get into fights. She asked Nora once, but Nora said he never had. "He's better than that," Nora told her through the phone, and then had to go because Hank had done some idiotic thing and needed help.

None of them ever really got into fights at school, except Sarah. They were all well liked, popular, looked up to—so the new school, the bullies, the ostracizing… it came as such a shock.

Mark took it the worst; he clicked with so few people, didn't know how to mold for situations. Both sets of twins had each other; Sarah, Jake, and Mike all watched out for each other; Henry didn't need anyone except Charlie. Lorraine herself only needed family, though she wanted more. But Mark—she should have been helping him, but instead she got caught up with school.

The family was falling apart; Lorraine knew she needed to call Mom, but the book was Mom's dream…

-

The second time she spoke to him, he mocked Charlie again. She replied with the weakest retort of her life, and he was good, because he shot back with something that actually _hurt_. He actually directed that second slur at _her_.

And Charlie snapped. He could take all the insults in the world directed at him, but when someone went after his family—he stormed toward the bully and his cronies, got right up in his face, and they had a miniature pissing contest that could not _possibly_ end well, considering the bully had a posse and Charlie had only himself.

So she hurried over and got between them, and she'd never noticed how _tall_ Charlie was. But the bully had a good few inches on him, and they both towered over her. She pushed Charlie, but if he didn't want to move he wouldn't. She begged him with her eyes, but he never looked at her, choosing instead to stare at the bully. She could feel the bully's satisfaction and glee, could feel him looming behind her.

Charlie let her push him away. He turned away with anger and wounded pride and didn't look back, but Lorraine did. The bully was smirking, but when their eyes met, it shifted into a smile. His girlfriend grabbed his arm to lead him away, but he just smiled at her.

-

After that, Charlie hated their new life even more. Everyone was falling apart, looking to Dad for something he didn't have to give, and to Lorraine in Mom's stead, since Nora had made herself clear.

Dad tried his best, Lorraine knew that. But Charlie and Mark were pulling ever deeper into themselves; Sarah, Jake, and Mike were getting in constant fights at school; and both sets of twins were speaking mostly only to each other.

The happy family Dad had promised wasn't anywhere to be seen and Lorraine had _no_ idea what to do.

Then Mom came home and Mark ran away and everything fixed itself.

-

The third time she spoke to him, Charlie wasn't with her. It was a month after everything, a month after they finally became the happy and strong family Dad had prophesied. She was finally secure, at peace—and, god, wasn't he _gorgeous_?

Not that she'd noticed, of course. No. He'd only been a jerk to her brother, to her. She hadn't noticed his dark green eyes or dimpled smile, or his voice—

Lorraine was so busy _not_ noticing him, she ran smack into him.

"Whoa, hey," he laughed, grabbing her shoulders for both their balance. "Watch where you're going."

She looked up and he looked down and realization hit her. "You're the bully," she hissed and he opened his mouth to respond when she jerked back and narrowed her eyes. She turned to storm off, and actually took a step, when his voice stopped her.

"Ben."

She glanced over her shoulder and noticed his posse in the background, his girlfriend at the forefront, hurrying their way. "What?"

"My name," he said softly. "Yours?"

She scoffed in disbelief. " Lorraine," she answered. "Jerk." She strode away, a smile blossoming on her face once she was sure he couldn't see.

Of course, later that day, she learned, he picked a fight with Charlie that got them both suspended.

-

She'd see him around school and became an expert at avoidance. He still messed with Charlie, but nothing ever so serious. He'd be there in the parking lot when they arrived, but never said anything.

"What does he want?" Charlie growled every now and then, but Lorraine shrugged so they both just ignored him.

The first day after Christmas break, he cornered her in the hall. She'd been heading to the water fountain and he stepped into her path.

"Lorraine," he said, a smile teasing the corner of his mouth.

"Bully," she replied, maneuvering around him.

"Listen, I just wanted to apologize," he told her, stepping back so he wouldn't tower over her so much. "I've been… kinda nasty to you and that lump you call brother, so I wanted to let you know I'd back off now."

"Really?" she scoffed. "It's in your nature." She glowered up at him and wondered at the—was that pain? Something flashed through his eyes before he smirked again.

"Whatever," he muttered and stormed the opposite way.

She got her sip of water but still felt parched, and felt bad for the rest of the day.

-

A week later, she asked Charlie if the bully had been bothering him.

"Nope," he answered, shaking his head, pulling into a parking space. Be—the _bully_ wasn't there. Hadn't been since that day in the hall.

"No trouble at all?" she continued, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"What, you writing a book?" he laughed and turned the car off.

She grinned and ducked her head, putting an immediate stop to her thoughts. Be—_the_ _bully_ was a jerk. Had been mean to her and Charlie for the better part of a year. So what if he had nice eyes, a beautiful smile, and a voice that—that—well, reminded her of those romance books she pretended she didn't read?

He was a jerk.

-

The fifth time was all her fault. Eleven siblings meant you learned how to follow someone and not get noticed. So, she cornered him in the hall; she'd stayed for play practice and he had a detention.

"What do you want, _Baker_?" he asked, low and mean. Clearly, he hadn't gotten over the last incident.

"I wanted to apologize," she said, looking up at him earnestly. "What I said—I had no right."

His dark green eyes were masked and, god, he was _tall_. "You're forgiven," he told her softly. "Now, I've got somewhere to be."

He stepped around her and slowly walked down the hall, when she said, "You wanna come by my house later?"

He paused and looked over his shoulder, gorgeous smile in place. "Your brother'd kick my ass, Lor."

She shrugged, hesitant smile still curving her lips. "I'm sure you could get along."

He laughed, softly, and turned, heading on to his detention. "I'll think about it, Baker," he called and vanished round the corner.

-

The end of her sophomore year approached. Charlie was graduating in the middle of his class and she hadn't had another conversation with Ben, but they did smile when they passed in the hall.

She wasn't hurt that he never got back to her on visiting the house—Charlie _would_ make it difficult.

So she watched her brother graduate, then she watched her crush graduate, and while she hugged her brother, Ben winked at her then went home.

-

She didn't think of him for years, didn't think of where he was or what he was doing, didn't remember how horrible he'd been and then how—almost nice.

So when she visited Charlie at his new apartment five years after her own graduation, she didn't even recognize the guy at first. She let herself into Charlie's apartment with the key he'd given all his siblings over the age of seventeen, dropped her purse by the door, and headed for the kitchen. The fridge was open and she assumed—naturally—it was her brother rooting around inside it, so she said, "Hey."

But the man who stood up and smiled at her and said, " Lorraine, right?" so _wasn't_ her brother.

She studied his face instead of freaking out and the eyes, the smile, the voice—"Ben?" she guessed and his smile deepened. He closed the fridge and held two cokes up.

"Want one?" he asked and she nodded.

He walked around the counter and handed it to her, before looking over her shoulder and smiling. "Your little sister's here," he called, and added to her, "C'mon," leading the way to the living room.

"Be right out!" Charlie responded.

Ben sank into the armchair and she took the couch, sipping her coke, studying him. "So you couldn't stop by the house to see me, but you can visit my brother in his apartment?" she asked, with no heat at all, just amusement.

He blushed and then shrugged. "We grew up," he offered and she nodded wisely.

"Ah, the maturity of men," she drawled, the severity of her tone and face lost when she giggled. "Are you good friends?"

He smiled and Charlie slipped in, clad in jeans, toweling his hair dry. " Lorraine!" he greeted her, pulling her into a hug. "If you'd called, I'd have had food ready, or cleaned up a little."

"Sorry," she said, smiling up at him. "I just wanted to… hang out, you know?"

"I know," he replied. Life had been hectic lately, with Lorraine trying to look out for the younger kids, no matter how much trouble they got into. "So, uh… you know Ben?" he asked, waving in the direction of the man he'd protested to hate in high school.

"Yeah," she laughed. "I had a crush on him for about half of sophomore year."

Charlie's eyes widened comically. "Really?" Lorraine knew that if he'd known that, he might never have started this… whatever-it-was.

"Really," she said, bestowing him with a gentle smile. "But it's okay. As long as you're happy." She hugged him again and smiled at Ben, then said, "I'll show myself out."

She waited till she was at her car to laugh hysterically. The irony was smacking her upside the head and she nearly pulled something in her side while cackling like a loon. Finally, she calmed herself and wiped at her streaming eyes. Lorraine shook her head and refrained from giggling again.

She should have known. That first moment—she should have seen it coming.

No wonder he didn't want to visit the house. She had a crush on him—he had a crush on her brother.

She started the car and headed for Nora's—serious sister-bonding and consumption of chocolate was in order.

-

The first time she saw him, he mocked her and her brother. It took a while, but their relationship finally improved enough that he was present when her first baby entered the world. Her husband showed their daughter off and Ben smiled down at the newborn, asked, "What's her name?"

Lorraine said, "Alexandra Janice," tired to the bone but too wired to sleep.

"She's beautiful," Dad whispered, like he had for all of his grandchildren and would for all the rest.

The rest of the family shuffled in and Ben headed for the door, pausing to grin over his shoulder. Lorraine grinned back as Charlie followed. _We'll be back later _Ben mouthed and she nodded, sinking back into the bed.


End file.
